Editor’s note: This letter was addressed to the corporate leadership of Krystal and shared with The Herald.

To Whom It May Concern,

I wanted to write concerning the staff at the Rincon store. The staff are some of the best I have seen in a fast food restaurant. There are two employees I would especially like to compliment, Debby Johnsen and Dana Doyle. They are terrific women. They are so outgoing and friendly with the customers. Debby and Dana go above and beyond for their customers and bring a ray of sunshine in to the place.
I just thought you should know that Debby and Dana are real assets to your business. Anyone who treats customers with so much kindness and respect is a rare jewel and truly gives you an edge over your competition. I hope you realize how lucky you are to have them working for you.
It’s rare to encounter anyone these days who genuinely wants to be friendly, happy and courteous to the public, especially in the fast food industry. Most people in your industry treat customers rudely and as if they are doing them a favor by serving them. Most people are too self-interested to care about someone else, especially a stranger.
My father looks forward to eating breakfast there every morning and very rarely does he miss a morning, except Sundays as he goes to church and not breakfast. I have had the pleasure of meeting them on several occasions when I was visiting my father. My father and I both believe that the Krystal in Rincon would lose a lot of business if Debby or Dana were no longer employed there. They make it “the place to have breakfast” in Rincon.
Employees like these are a company’s secret weapon. These days, employers undervalue the impact their front-line employees make on the bottom line.

M. Jean Erwin
Hattiesburg, Miss.